Legal Services—the vehicle for providing free legal assistance in civil matters for people who cannot afford it—was born in the 60s.

The tumultuous decade’s essence was extremes: anger, rebellion, aspiration, hope, loss, pain, regrouping—in sum, a reach for justice. Since those early days, Legal Services here in New Jersey and across the nation overcame many challenges, not least of which were multiple attacks on funding. But through it all, we persevered.

For five decades, we have continued providing essential legal aid—representation, counsel, advocacy, information—because more and more supporters refused to turn their backs on the legal problems of people in need. People recognized that legal representation can provide real and immediate solutions to critical life problems.

Even today, as we commemorate five decades of service, the representation gap remains critical:

There is no guarantee of an attorney in a civil legal cases.

Over 2.7 million people live in poverty in New Jersey. They will face well over a million civil legal problems in the year ahead, threatening their homes, food, health care, jobs, education, physical safety, and family stability.

When they do, they can turn to Legal Services for help.

We need your support to do moreYour gift will help close the gap in access to representation and help ensure that all citizens, including our most vulnerable, receive fair and just treatment under the law.

Now and into the futureWhen you make your tax-deductible gift to the 2017 Campaign for Justice, please consider making a multi-year pledge. Such a commitment to continued support allows us to plan our resource development and be more effective.